Pollo punches the air While Albanians are digging into their pockets to celebrate in their family homes, politics is stepping in to spoil their joy and stick the turkey down their throats. Calls for festive rallies, à la Avionizoon 2000, are a bad omen for the coming year. And as if that were not enough, irresponsible statements about keeping weapons, made on the eve of the New Year, have greatly inflamed the social climate. Albanian politics apparently has no interest in calm, but in turmoil, chaos, deadly commotion, so that Albanians have no time to think about where their troubles are coming from. Although Berisha withdrew the statement he made at the Durrës rally, it still lingers among Albanians, and in the minds of PD supporters. The Socialists wanted nothing more. They did not let PD’s firecracker fall to the ground, but caught it in midair and hurled it at Berisha’s feet. He had nothing else to do, so he called Pollo to retouch the former president’s blunder as much as he could. And Pollo, as always, is ready-[?] Continued on page 4

Kondi, Santa Claus for the New Year, rewards his trusted men with five salaries each. Ceka accuses: The state is a smuggler. Fino’s bodyguards take the reins. The Police Station Chief, a silent partner

Page 9 EUROPE, ACCEPT US WITH ALL OUR KALASHNIKOVS. WE WILL HAND OVER THE WEAPONS AFTER YOU DECIDE TO HOLD ANOTHER ELECTION CAMPAIGN WITH WEAPONS IN DUET YES. YES. YES WE WILL KEEP THE WEAPONS WITH A PERMIT

Page 12

□ Godo: In January, Europe will deal with our Constitution PDD threatens the Constitution PD is behind the hunger strikers Pages 3–5 □ Fighting in Kurbin, four victims Female traffickers arrested The Ngjela Commission investigates the Ministry of the Interior Braho: Current Police officials, perpetrators of the unrest Pages 3, 6